ipped at her
again, for it wasn't Nicky Viner. Those narrowed eyes, that leering,
gloating face, those working lips were Danglar's.

And, as from some far distance, dulled because her consciousness was
dulled, she heard Danglar speak.

"Perhaps you'll take your hand out of that right-hand coat pocket of
yours now!" sneered Danglar. "And take it out--empty!"

The Adventurer's face, as nearly as Rhoda Gray could see, had not moved
a muscle. He obeyed now, coolly, with a shrug of his shoulders.

Danglar appeared to experience no further trouble with the surface of
the table now. He suddenly jerked it almost off, displaying what Rhoda
Gray now knew to be the remainder of the large package of banknotes he
had taken from the garret earlier in the evening.

"Help yourself to the rest!" he invited caustically. "There isn't fifty
thousand there, but you are quite welcome to all there is--in return for
those papers."

The Adventurer was apparently obsessed with an inspection of his finger
nails; he began to polish those of one hand with the palm of the other.

"Quite so, Danglar!" he said coolly. "I admit it--I am ashamed of
myself. I hate to think that I could be caught by you; but I suppose I
can find some self-extenuating circumstances. You seem to have risen to
an amazingly higher order of intelligence. In fact, for you, Danglar,
it is not at all bad!" He went on polishing his nails. "Would you mind
taking that thing out of my face? Even you ought to be able to handle it
effectively a few inches farther away."

Under the studied insult Danglar's face had grown a mottled red.

"Damn you!" he snarled. "I'll take it away when I get good and ready;
and by that time I'll have you talking out of the other side of your
mouth! See? Do you know what you're up against, you slick dude?"

"I have a fairly good imagination," replied the Adventurer smoothly.

"You have, eh?" mimicked Danglar wickedly. "Well, you don't need to
imagine anything! I'll give you the straight goods so's there won't
be any chance of a mistake. And never mind about the higher order of
intelligence! It was high enough, and a little to spare, to make you
walk into the trap! I hoped I'd get you both, you and your she-pal, the
White Moll; that you'd come here together--but I'm not kicking. It's a
pretty good start to get you!"

"Is it necessary to make a speech?" complained the Adventurer
monotonously. "I can't help listening, of course."

"You can make